The tom half sits up, staring into the trees. He spots some dry leaf mulch, and scrapes that toward his wound instead, feeling triumph against his surroundings. The moss on his belly becomes soaked with blood, but Tigerclaw can't find anymore soft green moss nearby. The voice in Tigerclaw's head tells him that he's better than his father, Pinestar, for he would never abandon his Clanmates to become a kittypet. The tom believes he could have been the best leader ThunderClan had ever known. He asks himself how Bluestar had dared exile him, for they owed him everything for all he's done.
Tigerclaw thinks that if ThunderClan is so willing to listen to a kittypet, they don't deserve the dark tabby as leader. The tom gathers moss and presses it to his wound, imagining the bruised warriors he had left behind. He inspects the wound on his belly, thinking that if Fireheart had really wanted to wound him, he should've gone for the throat.
Tigerclaw settles down on a patch of moss, grunting in pain. The tom comes to the conclusion that Crookedstar's worst fear would be to have Tigerclaw, a cat much stronger than Bluestar, as leader of a neighboring Clan. He wonders why the Clans care about each other so much. Tigerclaw realizes he and his allies might have won had RiverClan not arrived at the last moment. The tom thinks that though Brokenstar had been criticized for asking too much of his warriors, he had made ShadowClan feared and powerful. The ShadowClan outlaws had disappointed him too they needed more time to train. Tigerclaw walks through the destroyed gorse tunnel, angry that he relied on half-trained rogues to fight for him. He retorts that the gray-and-white tom would never have challenged his leader, and blames Thistleclaw for Bluestar becoming leader. The voice in his head reminds him that Thistleclaw would've punished him for being beaten by kittypets and a star-crazed old she-cat. Tigerclaw vows to come back for them, for he doesn't want them to be raised in a Clan of weaklings. He flicks his tail and begins walking toward the camp entrance, listening to the mewls of his kits in the nursery. The amber-eyed tom stars at Fireheart, thinking that the dark ginger cat will die at his paws. The ginger tom retorts that Tigerclaw will also be crow-food one day, but fear-scent rises from him.
He tells Fireheart to watch his back, for one day the dark brown tom will turn him into crow-food. Bluestar demands once more that Tigerclaw leave, but he promises that he'll be back. He tells Dustpelt that he'll be better off away from ThunderClan, but the brown tabby brings up Redtail's murder, replying that he'd rather die than follow him. Tigerclaw thinks that the blue-eyed tom is a coward, and scans the crowd for any other cats that might like to join him. Longtail is the next cat the tom looks at, but the pale tabby is horrified at the idea, quickly denying his offer. He denies the wounded tom's request, and Tigerclaw thinks that Darkstripe will pay for being a traitor. The dark tabby reveals that he trusted Tigerclaw, but he doesn't anymore since the brown tabby tom plotted with Brokentail. He adds that any cat who comes with him will be well looked after, and looks at Darkstripe.
Tigerclaw looks around the assembled ThunderClan cats, claiming that this isn't the end of him, and he'll be a leader someday. Cats in the clearing gasp, but he ignores them. As the tabby shifts his position to stand, a fresh wave of blood floods from his belly wound. Bluestar interrupts the two, demanding for Tigerclaw to leave. He threatens Fireheart, and the tom lashes his tail in reply, saying they could fight any time. Graystripe yowls that Fireheart beat him, and the dark brown tom turns to look at the ginger cat. She gives permission for her warriors to kill Tigerclaw if they see him past sunrise the next day, and the tabby replies that he'd like to see them try. The she-cat asks how many cats would've had to die for it, and sentences the brown tabby to exile. The tom begins insulting Bluestar for even asking him if he would defend himself, stating that he would have brought back the days of TigerClan and made ThunderClan great. He knows this is the end of the she-cat's leadership, even if he had not taken the rest of her lives. Tigerclaw feels a thrill of satisfaction at the sight, knowing he has shattered his leader. Bluestar asks him if he has anything to say in his own defense, and it is noted that her pelt is covered in blood, her eyes dull and unfocused. Blood pulses from a wound on the dark tabby's belly, and a voice in his head screeches that he lost to kittypets and fools. Chapter description Cats in the clearing are hurling insults at a badly wounded Tigerclaw.